Focus on: Health & Safety Handling & Safety Matters While they are experts in processes, Garrett’s team found that some approaches to health and safety measures, along with the evaluation of these systems, had room for improvement. Garrett explained: We often find in acquisitions that the safety practices and systems of the incumbents differ from Air Products’. This allows us to offer not only investment opportunities but also bring our expertise and knowledge to help the teams advance their operational and safety discipline.” These employees have twin challenges to accomplish, and quickly, with support from Garrett’s team. First, get to grips with the safety culture that Air Products embeds at all its plants, that includes everyone from supervisors and managers to technicians and engineers in the field. Second, operating within Air Products’ safety framework, prepare for and assist the impending structural overhaul planned for later this year. The approach Air Products EHS system is based on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rulings from the US. Garrett is a veteran at setting it up at plants across the world, and navigating local culture and practices in the process is nothing new. Understanding the maturity of the region starts with an EHS audit in any new geography to see how things are being done. The corporate audit fits in with the EHS management system and, while there is a compliance element to that, it also looks at the cultural and personnel element. A lot of face-to-face conversation happens alongside the audit to understand the perception of these systems among the workers, their attitude towards safety and reporting and their understanding of why it’s important. Garrett highlighted: “One of our biggest challenges is that sometimes, culturally, it hasn’t been acceptable to make a mistake, or people only report accidents. We encourage people to report near misses, not just accidents, to progress towards zero accidents.” He's also keen to emphasise that local teams, however ready they may be for international standards, need time to understand and adjust: “When you go into new regions with any new systems, you have to give them time. You cannot just say, ‘This is the way things have to be done.’ You have to bring the people along with you.” Perhaps the most important learning for him has been that for a safety system to be effective, it has to be both top down and bottom up. The leadership must be seen to be prioritising health and safety and this message has to filter down to all rungs of the company – that safety is a strategic pillar of the company and that if employees flag a risk or an issue, it’s dealt with immediately and effectively. Keeping teams motivated While the Qashqadaryo Province plant readies itself for transformation of its structures, process and safety culture, Garrett reiterates the importance of aiming to remove the margin for accidents. He cites a different geography where recordable injuries dropped from six in the first six months postacquisition by Air Products to zero LTIs and only one minor incident requiring first-aid in the whole year within two years. He concluded: “Data like this – where teams can see the difference that a change in approach has made – is gold dust for my work. These tangible results that we can bring to bear with our EHS system provide the motivation and keep the teams engaged.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-S Outst SERIESCHAIN anding HOIST safety, iability. +*' + ))$ *& n Zone 1, 2 and 21 *%++ %* ) & &$+"') )# +)+ &*') %#$%*%&$ & + )$ % &$ )$* form +& !)+! ) * )+ "% ) $#)& ) ( &+% ) * and IECEx req )+%#$) $ ') +) % mance Outstanding e and rel %)+) )!* %!!' %$'&% *)+*) +()!% ! quirements for use in &+(') )+ ')'&%+* %$ +* % (( %! *%& +* $!)+ +* $ *) (&*)$*% ' https://bit ly/E Ex C series % / $') )$* + reliability a • Durable, pu f -2 range o • Ambient op / & +*# / & ( !* *%&& / -,+*)( '&% • SWLs of 32 20kg to 2,500 kg +*%$#"%*'!&$* !*& & &() *%&$ ) ! )+%#$ & &(*% $%+) & +* % perating temperatur 20° C to + 60° C urpose designed co nd extended life cyc + )&() *%&$"%*'+ % % ' !&$* & $ % *%$# %)$! +)& "& +( !) $ )++ +*)) !' %$ re mponents for cle + %((%$# ! *!' https://bit.ly/E Ex_C-series *& *%! !*% *) %$*')) ) )$*& & ) &
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